Norwich, Vt. — Libby Gardner, longtime Norwich resident, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, June 13, 2018. She was 97. Artist, mother, businesswoman and matriarch, she provided love, inspiration and support to all those around her.

She was born in Hartford, Vt. on May 20, 1921, the daughter of Jessie Coit Cone and Morris Huntington Cone. From her early years in Hartford to Skidmore College (class of 1944), Libby’s artistic interests led to opening a ceramic studio on Main Street in Hanover in 1946. She then met Clint Gardner who was returning from wartime service to finish at Dartmouth. They were married on June 16, 1947.

As young newlyweds they lived in Paris and then Berlin during the Blockade while Clint finished up with government commitments. On returning stateside Libby and Clint started Shopping International in 1956, a mail order business based in Norwich importing handicrafts from around the world.

Libby’s ceramics moved from hand-built and thrown pieces using glazed floral and bird motifs of the 1940’s to Japanese-inspired works in the 1960’s. By the 1980’s she was working in watercolor and then took up printmaking and created hundreds of bold and colorful monoprints.

She hosted numerous family gatherings in the home she loved over many decades. Though a mother of three, her maternal influence reached considerably further and her strength and independence has guided many of the extended family. In her later years she absolutely loved the birds, squirrels and deer that frequented her backyard. Of special note were the always welcome crows.

Libby is survived by her three children, their spouses and eight grandchildren: John (Donna) Charlotte, N.C. (Liza, Katy, Corrina), James (Sandy) Vershire, Vt., (Oona, Adriane) and Catherine Morrison (Bill) Norwich, (Kyle, Daniel, Troy). She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Libby was predeceased by Clint, her husband of 70 years, by her brother John Cone and two sisters Martha Smeltzer and Constance Wallace.

A celebration of Libby’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Aug. 4 at the Norwich Congregational Church. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions be made to the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich.